


Hair Trigger Temper

by addendum



Category: Camp Camp (Web Series)
Genre: Alternate Universe- David Adopts Max, Dadvid AU, so much swearing
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-07
Updated: 2017-08-07
Packaged: 2018-12-12 05:16:34
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,324
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11730273
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/addendum/pseuds/addendum
Summary: A bully learns the hard way that Max is the only one allowed to make fun of David.





	Hair Trigger Temper

Recess was so stupid. Who in the hell would look forward to forced fraternization with their gross peers? And it was so hot, too. God! Max couldn't wait for his teacher to blow the whistle that meant he could go back inside. 

He was sitting on the otherwise empty swing set, his sneakers barely grazing the mulch. If Nikki and Neil were here, maybe this would be a little more tolerable. But they were dealing with their own problems on their own playgrounds, miles away from here. Whatever. 

Max stared at the ground, wondering what he and David would be doing tonight. Maybe he could be coerced into letting Max stay up just a little late to watch whatever movie was playing on TCM. It didn't matter what it was, he just liked the white noise and drifting off with his head on David's shoulder. 

"Hey, Max!" 

Oh, what a lovely surprise. Chris was here to give Max his daily dose of fucking annoying. The kid loved to give Max a hard time for whatever dumb reason, constantly pushing his buttons. 

He was a good deal taller than Max was, but skinnier, too and about half as smart. 

"Hello, Christopher." Max drawled, not bothering to turn around. "To what do I owe the pleasure of your titillating conversation?" 

Chris and his group of douchebags walked around to the front of the swings so that they were facing Max. 

"Me and the guys were just talking, and we were wondering how long it's been since you've seen your parents. Do you visit them in prison or what?" 

Max rolled his eyes as far back as they could go. 

"Wow. You sure got me there. No one's ever mentioned my parents being in prison before! That new material is really good. Quit your day job and become a stand up fucking comedian." 

Chris frowned, annoyed by the lack of reaction. 

"Someone's grumpy because their mommy and used to hit them, huh?" He asked, desperate to get under Max's skin. 

"God, you're edgy." Max commented. "My parents hit me? Who fucking knew? Can you just let me get back to what I was doing?" 

"You were just sitting there." Chris pointed out. 

"Yeah, thinking about your mom's huge tits." Max responded with a wicked grin. 

Chris's cronies stifled their laughter, taken off guard by Max's nerve. 

"Dude, watch your fucking mouth." Chris warned, and now he was angry. 

Goddamn, Max thought. He'd fucked up. Now Chris would never leave him alone. 

"If you just went away, you wouldn't have to listen to me. Have you ever considered that?" 

"Oh, hey!" One of the other guy's said, eyes lighting up with remembrance. "How's the head of the P.T.A. doing, Max?" 

The others cackled. Max sighed. They were talking about David who was, naturally, head of the P.T.A. He spent a lot of time at Max's elementary school, volunteering and helping out with various odd jobs. 

"David's fine, thanks." 

"Yeah, that's his name! David! He's so fucking annoying, dude. How can you stand living with him?" 

"I think you're gonna want to stop talking now." Max said, still calm. 

He thought about what his friends would do if they were with him. Nikki would probably threaten to shank them, or start growling like a grizzly bear. Neil would opt to call them a bunch of fucking cunts. Max smirked at the thought. 

"Does he smile like that all the time?" Chris asked, looking disgusted. "It's so obnoxious." 

"David smiles a lot? Hadn't noticed." Max said, voice dripping in sarcasm. 

"The dude's such a fag. How can you be so nice all the time? And he doesn't get that all the other parents hate him." 

"They don't hate him." Max mumbled, but he knew they were right. 

David's feelings would be so hurt if he could see the way other people rolled their eyes when he wasn't looking. 

"Dude, yeah they do. He's such a fucking fag." 

"Just shut shut the fuck up about him, okay?" Max said, raising his voice for the first time since they'd started talking. 

"Oh!" Chris said, visibly thrilled. "So that's what bothers you, huh? You're protective of that fucking pussy?"

Max would say he couldn't have controlled what he did next. He'd been known to have a bit of a hair trigger temper when the right buttons were pushed, and these guys had just spent the last five minutes pulling on his proverbial pigtails. Bringing up David was the last fucking straw. 

Max felt himself get off the swing, and he felt himself walk over to Chris, and he felt himself give hit him with a sharp right hook. It looked like it hurt. His friends erupted in cheers and sharp inhales. A teacher was already rushing over. 

"Jesus, freak!" Chris exclaimed, covering his eye with one hand. "Calm your tits!" 

"Shut up about David." Max ordered between gritted teeth. "You don't know shit about him." 

"Max, what do you think you're doing?" A teacher yelled, grabbing his elbow. 

Max didn't bother to fight her off, letting himself get dragged to the office. Fuck this, fuck them. They should've left David out of it.

****

There was a breeze in the principal's office, and Max wished he hadn't left his hoodie at home. He hadn't planned on being in here today. 

"Max, violence is never acceptable. Here at McNair Elementary, or anywhere else. Are you listening to me?" 

Max nodded. This guy was so exhausting. Principal-what was his name again? Max couldn't remember. He also didn't care. 

"We're going to have to suspend you, Max. Just for a couple days. It's school policy. "

"Yep." Max said. "Makes sense." 

"I know this year has been hard for you, Max, but that doesn't give you any reason to treat another student this way. Do you understand?"

Max forced himself not to roll his eyes. He hated the way this guy was talking to him like he was stupid or something. Intellectually, he knew he could run circles around anyone at this school. 

The principal sighed when Max didn't respond. 

"Your father will be here soon, Max." He said.

As though on cue, the door to his office swung open then to reveal David standing in the doorway. 

"Hi, um, is this the right place? I'm Max's dad. Oh! Max! There you are! I'm so sorry about all of this, Mr Vincent." 

Oh, Vincent. That's what it was. God, that didn't even sound familiar. 

David shot Max a disapproving look, sliding into the chair next to his. Max avoided eye contact.

"Hello, David." Mr Vincent said, already familiar with the man from his stint as head of the P.T.A." 

Max watched David carefully, trying to gauge his anger. 

"David, let's not beat around the bush here." Mr Vincent said. "Our school has a very strict policy against violence. It's one of our non negotiables, and we simply cannot allow it to go unpunished." 

David nodded solemnly, bowing his head in shame. Max resisted the urge to groan. Christ, this guy was such a kiss up.

"We're going to have to suspend Max for the next two school days. I'm very sorry."

"I understand completely, sir. I will make sure that Max comes to understand why his behavior today was unacceptable. We won't waste anymore of your time."

David stood from his chair, shaking Mr Vincent's hand.

"Have a good evening, David."

"I'll certainly try, sir. Let's go, Max."

Max slid out of his chair, still sulking. In the pit of his stomach, he felt a familiar fear begin to brew. He had been bad, he thought. He was going to be punished. Would David hit him? No. Of course not. David would never. But he did seem so angry, storming to the parking lot with Max in tow. And so disappointed.

"Max, how could you do this?" He asked as soon as they were out of the double door's at the school's entrance. "I thought things were going so well! I really thought you were doing better."

"I'm sorry." Was all Max said, and even to him it sounded insincere.

"Sometimes sorry isn't good enough." David said simply, and Max felt his heart fall to his stomach.

As they climbed into the car and David put his key in the ignition, Max wished he could take everything back. This was it. This was the night things went back to the way they always were. David was finally going to stop being nice. He'd had enough of Max's bullshit, it seemed.

David fumed in silence, maintaining a laser focus on the road. How could he have allowed this to happen? What was he doing wrong?

"Max, do you at least understand why what you did today was wrong?" He asked, voice strained. 

"I get that you aren't supposed to hit people, David. I'm not an idiot."

"Then why would you do it, Max?" David asked, and his voice was much louder. 

Max cowered just a little in the backseat, startled. 

"I'm really sorry." He said, and this time his voice cracked. 

"I heard you the first time, Max. What I don't understand is why you did it in the first place. Hitting another person is never okay." 

David turned into he and Max's neighborhood, hoping no one was outside to witness he and Max's big fight. He hated being the subject of gossip.

"I know." Max said, and he was so much quieter than usual. "I get it."

Pulling into the driveway, David nodded. 

"Then why would you it?" David asked, lowering his voice as they got out of the car. "Can you please explain that to me?" 

Max considered his options. It was either tell David about all of things people at school said to him and break his heart, or endure his fit of rage. David spoke again before he could decide.

"Max, are you even listening? Sometimes you're just unbearable!" David exploded as they stepped into the entryway of their house. 

His voice was louder than Max had ever heard it, and he was gesticulating wildly. He slammed the door behind them, and the sound echoed. On instinct, Max drew back and brought up and arm to block his face. David saw this and forced himself to relax, evening out his breathing. 

"Max, come here." He said, his voice substantially softer. 

"I'm sorry." Max said again, for good measure. 

"No, buddy." He said, shaking his head. "I'm not gonna hurt you. I'm sorry for yelling, Max. I forgot." 

Max didn't step any closer, still wary. 

"I know that it scares you when I yell." David continued. "I wasn't trying to scare you."

Max swallowed a lump in his throat. 

"I'm sorry that I punched that kid, David. I know you're mad at me. I fucked up." 

"I am upset with you, Max. You messed up today and we can talk about that in a second but first I want to get my point across." 

Max nodded. 

"You don't have to worry about being hurt, okay? Even when I'm mad, I don't want you to feel unsafe. You're not in any danger, Max."

Max nodded, embarrassed that he had to be spoken to like a kicked dog. 

"Max, can you please explain to me why you would start a fight today? I seriously thought we were doing okay." David looked at him pleadingly, begging for answers. 

"I didn't start it." Max muttered. 

"Max, I can't hear you. Could you speak up, please?" 

"I didn't start it." Max repeated, more clearly this time. 

"Alright." David said, and he looked like he was deciding whether or not to believe him. "So, were you provoked?" 

"This kid is always trying to fuck with me, David. He's so annoying." 

David flinched at the language, but didn't bother pointing it out. He'd learned a long time ago to pick his battles with Max. 

"What exactly was he saying to you?" David asked. 

"Just stupid shit. Like, about my parents. He knows they would hit me or whatever and I guess he thinks that's funny." 

Max wasn't about to tell David that everyone at his new school found his cheerful persona exhausting at the very best and at worst, completely obnoxious. 

David's mouth hung open in shock, not believing what he was hearing. 

"They think it's funny? Geez, Max, why wouldn't you tell me this? These kids sound like--well, they sound like a bunch of meanies." 

Max smirked at the juvenile wording. 

"Yeah, they're assholes." He said. 

"I'm going to call your principal about this right away! That kind of bullying needs to be dealt with immediately!" 

Max should've brought this up before, he realized. He'd forgotten he wasn't the only one with a protective streak.

"Am I still in trouble?" Max asked, not wanting to start a fight about calling the school. If David felt this strongly about it, he was going to. 

David paused to shoot him a glare without much venom behind it. 

"Yes you're still in trouble, Max. You gave that boy a black eye. Violence is never the answer!" 

Max shrugged. That was pretty much the answer he'd been expecting. Luckily for him, David wasn't very good at sticking to his punishments. 

"Hey, can we watch a movie tonight?" Max wondered. 

"Uh, maybe. We'll see." David said distractedly, already searching for the school's number in his contact list. 

"They're playing one of those old western movies I think. I know you like those." Max said, bringing up David's weakness for John Wayne movies for ammunition. 

"Okay. Fine. Go upstairs and start your homework, buddy. I'm going to call Mr Vincent." 

David brought the receiver to his ear, turning away. Max smiled, always impressed by his guardian's complete willingness to go to war for him. He understood where David was coming from, though. Some people were worth handing out black eyes for.


End file.
